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Use social media mindfully

danielleheberling.xyz

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Re: Use social media mindfully

#21

Post by jader201 »

galleywest200 wrote: post #20

My rule for 2026 is to limit short-form media. No Twitter/X, no Bluesky, no Mastodon, no Instagram, no TikTok. If it is designed to be short-form (limited characters, quick videos) then it is not for me in 2026. I had already avoided short-form video but I added short-form text this year.

The whole world would be a better place if all of these disappeared.

(Add to this YouTube Shorts.)

Re: Use social media mindfully

#22

Post by fny »

Is it possible to use cocaine mindfully?

I encourage you to compare using YouTube with videos on the right hidden. It will disturb you how easily they can trick you to click.

Intstagram and friends are far, far worse.

Re: Use social media mindfully

#23

Post by taurath »

galleywest200 wrote: post #20

My rule for 2026 is to limit short-form media. No Twitter/X, no Bluesky, no Mastodon, no Instagram, no TikTok. If it is designed to be short-form (limited characters, quick videos) then it is not for me in 2026. I had already avoided short-form video but I added short-form text this year.

I dropped Google news and Reddit in the last few weeks. I have watched several people have nervous breakdowns, coworkers report having to step back from everything, one even said he’d developed a twitch. However informed we desire to be, that desire seems to be usurped by this constant spin-up mechanism of current media.

HN is probably gonna have to go soon too for me, I have enough ways to keep informed, and it’s hard to feel informed while pretending many events that are deeply effecting everyone I know’s lives don’t exist. I don’t particularly want HN to become about US politics, but I also don’t like that ycombinator is run by, for and with people who I don’t share values with.

It seems like the majority opinion is it’s okay to commit moral suicide to make money nowadays - I never previously felt like the word “depravity” could accurately describe the day to day culture of startups and technology. There are many exceptions (enough to not leave the industry entirely) and perhaps it’s the rule that most people are appalled at Thiel, Musk and Altman, but idk. To me the only correct move against a vampire is to not let them into your house.

Re: Use social media mindfully

#24

Post by jrowen »

Aenorium wrote: post #12

I'd encourage the author to look into the difference between mindfulness and intention. From reading their approach, it seems like they are really encouraging people to use the platforms intentionally. From my experience, mindfulness is correlated more closely with awareness than it is intention. I'm recently restarting an approach to social media and I'm looking at it with fresh eyes. One thing that I wish more of u…

Not sure why this was killed. I think the point about mindfulness and intention is valid under the modern lens of "mindfulness" (as opposed to the older and more general concept of "be mindful of..."), which is closer to meditation and being present.

I also agree that there is a value to anonymous platforms that is underrepresented in today's landscape. Anonymous like 4chan or Secret, not even pseudonymous (as it turns out, I had an idea for such an experimental discussion platform...). I don't think they need to supplant identity-based platforms per sé but fill another niche.

Re: Use social media mindfully

#26

Post by Aeglaecia »

taurath wrote: post #23
galleywest200 wrote: post #20

My rule for 2026 is to limit short-form media. No Twitter/X, no Bluesky, no Mastodon, no Instagram, no TikTok. If it is designed to be short-form (limited characters, quick videos) then it is not for me in 2026. I had already avoided short-form video but I added short-form text this year.

I dropped Google news and Reddit in the last few weeks. I have watched several people have nervous breakdowns, coworkers report having to step back from everything, one even said he’d developed a twitch. However informed we desire to be, that desire seems to be usurped by this constant spin-up mechanism of current media. HN is probably gonna have to go soon too for me, I have enough ways to keep informed, and it’s ha…

when vampires are knocking at everyones front door , a sizeable proportion of the populace will be vampirized , such that any barricades to your domicile will be inevitably breached

Re: Use social media mindfully

#27

Post by markerz »

fny wrote: post #22

Is it possible to use cocaine mindfully? I encourage you to compare using YouTube with videos on the right hidden. It will disturb you how easily they can trick you to click. Intstagram and friends are far, far worse.

Cocaine (the powder) is extracted from the coca leaf, which indigenous South Americans have chewed for over 8000 years. While the synthetic drug is insanely addictive, the natural form is still commonly used as a mild stimulant, probably safer than caffeine in coffee. So yes?

Re: Use social media mindfully

#29

Post by SilverElfin »

galleywest200 wrote: post #20

My rule for 2026 is to limit short-form media. No Twitter/X, no Bluesky, no Mastodon, no Instagram, no TikTok. If it is designed to be short-form (limited characters, quick videos) then it is not for me in 2026. I had already avoided short-form video but I added short-form text this year.

It’s a great rule, but it is still a problem when most of society uses short form stuff. Because they will be influenced by it and they will vote based on it. And they will end up affecting you anyways.

Re: Use social media mindfully

#30

Post by coffeefirst »

AznHisoka wrote: post #8
add-sub-mul-div wrote: post #7

When I left Twitter and Reddit there felt like a loss of what those sites used to be. The sites I replaced them with are off-ramps, I'm not letting myself get as engaged with them. If they go bad too, they won't feel like a loss.

What dod u replace them with?

In effect, I got rid of the middlemen.

I text friends and family, call a few, and ideally have people over and grill.

For news, go to the source. People used to subscribe to newspapers and magazines for every interest under the sun. Add in podcasts and newsletters.

Technically I still have an industry Slack or two and a local Discord for parents, but those are basically just more groupchat.

Also when you go to do the "what do I need from here" exercise you realize how much of it's just worthless. I dropped Reddit and added one RSS feed from a local bookstore to find out about new books.

In the end, the algorithm was an unnatural way to read.

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